Spring construction



Feb. 2, 1943. R.- EMMD'ER'SHA.. 2,309,880

SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 cf c. c- .as 2a H. /f Va f/ 1 Z Feb, 2, 1943. R. E. wlNDl-:Rs r'm. 2,309,880 y l v SPRING CONSTRUCTION v Filed June 9, 1941 2 sheets-smet 2 15, 2a. 29.23'. Fig. J4.

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INVENORS Patented Feb. 2, 1943.V

OFF ICE SPRING yCONSTRUCTION RobertFrank Winders and Arthur Laurenz Winders, South Gate, Calif.

Application `June 9, 1941, Serial No. 397,274

2 Claims.

ture, cushions, mattresses and analogous structures.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a coil spring assembly or unit in which the springs are constructed and arranged to prevent objectionable lateral distortion or sluing of the unit.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel coil spring having its end coils open and constructed to facilitate the assembly thereof in an arrangement wherein certain springs have their end coils opening in the opposite direction to the end coils of other springs whereby the springs will counteract one another to prevent lateral distortion or sluing of the assembled unit.

A further object of our invention is to provide a spring construction which makes possible; with comparatively few coiled springs of simple and inexpensive form and likewise simple and inexpensive framing and means for securing the springs together and to the framing, a coil spring unit having requisite strength and appreciable cushioning action adequate `and well suited to the use of the unit in inner spring or upholstered furniture, cushions and the like.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide a novel means for securing the lower end coils of spiral springs to supporting mem- 'bers therefor also an equally efficacious means for securing the upper end coils to similar members and to tie strips connected to the latter and the springs at common points.

Another object of our invention is to provide a box-spring unit in which straight and sinuous or zig-zag resilient metal tie strips or members are constructed, relatively arranged and connected to the spring in such manner as to afford maximum strength, durability, stability and cushioning action with comparatively few springs within a given area.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it be ing understood that various changes in form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a coil spring unit embodying our-invention with certain of the springs omitted for clarity.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view showing the manner of securing the clips v (Cl. -2'67) and the straight and zig-zag or sinuous tie straps together as by welding.

Figure 4 is a sectional View on line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan View of the structure shown in Figure 1 enlarged to afford a more detailed illustration thereof.

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 8--3 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the straight tie strips of flat steel employed throughout the spring unit.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective View of a modied form of tie member with left bends.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a. right tie member of the type shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coil springs embodying our invention and showing the hook and open end formation of the uppermost coil and the linger form of the lower terminal coil.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary top plan View of a pre-assembled cross member of the spring unit wherein a cross member of the unit framing having the springs mounted thereon is ready tobe mounted in the spring unit frame.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of our invention. Figure 15 is a sectional view on the line |5--I5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a cross sectional view taken on the line I B-IS of Figure 14 showing a clip which is common to both forms of our invention.

Figure 1'7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the joint between a cross member and the main frame members of the lower frame as employed in both forms of our invention.

Referring to the drawings more specifically and particularly to Figures l to 8 and 13, 16 and 17, it is seen that one form of our invention comprises a spring unit or assembly of the box type wherein a lower frame A and an upper frame B support between them a plurality of spiral springsv C secured at their lower and smaller lends to cross members D of the lower frame and at their upper and larger ends to straight tie strips E and zig-zag or sinuous tie strips F of the upper frame.

Each of the spiral springs C has open end coils and an upper free end which is bent to provide a downwardly formed hook I8, Figures 8 and 12, to assist in securing the uppermost coil to the upper frame B and its associate members, whereas the lower free end of the spring of on said cross members. y

The lower frame A as here shown includes opposed parallel side bars between and at rightangles to which are secured a plurality of the spaced parallel cross bars D mortised edgewise thereto to present spring supporting surfaces nar-` 'the hooks I8 are hooked through the clips 21 l as shown in Figure 3 to securely anchor the rower than the diameter of the lowermost coils'` of the springs C. The springs have their lowermost coils rested on the cross bars as shownin Figures 16 and 17 whereby U shaped wire clips 2l may be tted to embrace said bars with their opposedw legs extending upwardly through the lowermost coils whereby the free ends vof said clips may be bent over said portions as-downwardly opening hooks 22 for securely holding the springs centered on and united with said bars. In this connection it will be seen that a cross bar D with the required number of the springs 4secured thereto as shown in Figure 13, constitutes a preformed unit subject to be readily mounted on the side bars to facilitate assembling the boX spring.

The upper frame B as here shown, Figures l, 2 and 6, includes side and end portions or bars 23 and 24 respectively, of resilient wire or the likeforming a marginal frame. A plurality of the straight spring metal strips-E are lsecured in anysuitable manner as by-welding or winding of their ends to the side bars Z3 so that they will lie in spaced parallel relation to one another and the end bars between rows of vthe springs C and substantially co-planar with the uppermost coils of said springs. Between the strips E, the zig-zagstrips F are arranged so that at their free ends and apices 26 they may be secured to the strips E and to diametrically opposite points of the uppermost coils of the springs. As here provided bendable clips 2l of generally inverted U form straddle the strips F and E vand the uppermost coils of the springs C as shown in Figures 6 and 8 and the ends thereof` are bent to surround said strips and coils and are then welded together, said clips being also W-elded to the strips E and` F. Figure 4 shows one of the clips 2l ybeiorebeing bent to form a loop around said strips and coils. Figure 5 shows how clips 21' which are identical with clips 2l are employed to secure the straight strips E to marginal ller springs C which latter are free from connection with the strips F. Figure l shows how clips 21" similar to clips 2'1 are employed to secure the marginal springs C as well as the ller springs C to the side and end bars 23 and 24 respectively.

It should be noted that the springs C are arranged so that certain thereof have their open end coils facing or opening in the opposite direction to the end coils of the other springs in an arrangement by means of which the springs oppose one another to counteract lateral distortion or sluing of the spring unit. One pattern and arrangement of the springs which will eiectively prevent lateral distortion is to have the springs which are connected bymeans of the zig-zag strips F staggered to form a series of diamond spaced patterns as shown in Figures 1 andjo with alternate rows of the springs which are parallel to the side bars of the frames A and B, having springs.

Any arrangement of the springs whereby the free and open ends thereof are extended in opposite directions `variously throughout the group so that sluing or lateral distortion of the spring unit is checked is considered within the purview of our invention.

It should be noted with reference to the pattern of springs as shown in Figuresl and 6 that although comparatively large spaces occur between certain springs, these spaces are crossed by the flat strips E and F in such manner as to aiford eflici-ent resilient supporting surfaces which are more than equivalent 4to that afforded by the upper coils of the springs themselves.

As shown in Figures 10,11, 14 and 15 we may use resilient wire zig-zag strips 29 and 30, instead of the flat zig-zag strips F, together with flat strips 3l corresponding to strips E but extending at right angles to the cross members D on which the springs C are supported. In this form the apices of the strips 29 and 30 are formed with `upstanding downwardly opening loops 32 of an inverted Y U shape which hook under opposite sides of the upper coils and form therewith eyes G through which the flat strips 3| are threaded as shown in Figures 14 and l5. In this form the open ends of the coils are arrang-ed as in the other form to prevent lateral distortion or sluing of the spring unit. The marginal portions of the upper and lower frames are the same in both forms and reference numerals are used accordingly in the drawings.

We claim:

. 1. In a spring assembly, upper and lower frames, cross members on the lower frame, rows of coiled springs having their lower ends secured to said cross members, a plurality of straight resilient strips secured at their ends to and extending across the upper frame parallel to said rows of springs so as to contact opposite sides of the uppermost coils of said springs, zig- Zag strips extending between and secured at their ends -to the straight strips and having their apices contacting the portions of the straight strips which contact said uppermost coils, and clips embracing said contacting portions of said strips and said coils for tying them together.

2. In a spring assembly, upper and lower frames, cross members on the lower frame,'rows of coiled springs having their lower ends secured to saidccross members, a plurality of straight resilient strips secured at their ends to and extending across the `upper frame between rows of springs and parallel thereto so that opposite sides of the uppermost coils of said springs and portions of said strips overlap, zig-zag strips disposed between and having their apices overlapping said portions of the straight strips, and clips embracing said overlapping portions and said coils for tying them together.

ROBERT FRANK WINDERS. ARTHUR LAURENZ WINDERS. 

